The harrowing ordeal of Moamen Musa, a Palestinian editor released as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups, exposes the brutal realities faced by detainees in Israeli custody. His story, marked by torture, solitary confinement, and medical neglect, underscores the systemic abuse endured by Palestinian prisoners.  

On November 15, 2023, Musa arrived at the Netzarim checkpoint in Gaza after being instructed by Israeli forces to relocate to "safe areas." Instead of safety, he was surrounded by soldiers, threatened, and forced to strip naked. When he resisted, an officer fired a warning shot near his foot, injuring him. Soldiers confiscated 65,000 shekels he had saved and his work permit, stripping him of his dignity and livelihood.  

Musa’s suffering intensified when a soldier forcibly inserted a bullet into his right ear, severely damaging his eardrum. Left bleeding and untreated, he was forced to sit in a rainwater-filled hole for days without food or water. Later, female soldiers beat him and others with chains, inflicting excruciating pain.  

Transferred to Khiam and Nafha prisons, Musa endured 145 days in solitary confinement, where he was subjected to daily torture, including exposure to poisonous gas and beatings. Medical neglect led to scabies outbreaks among prisoners, with inadequate treatment even when Israeli personnel were affected.  

On February 22, 2024, Musa and other detainees were told they would be released, only to have the promise broken. Finally freed on February 26, he returned to a Gaza devastated by war. His homecoming was shattered by the news that his brother had been killed during forced displacement operations in southern Gaza.  

Moamen Musa’s story is a stark reminder of the systemic abuse faced by Palestinian prisoners under Israeli occupation. It highlights the urgent need for accountability, justice, and international action to address these human rights violations. Until then, such stories will continue to expose the devastating human cost of occupation and impunity.